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Arizona Coyotes re-sign winger David Moss

Although it sounded like the Coyotes had ruled out a return for all of their unrestricted free agents, they must have had a change of heart because they re-signed winger David Moss to a one-year contract Friday, the team announced.

At the outset of the summer, the Coyotes didn't anticipate free-agent winger David Moss returning to their roster – not because they didn't have a role for the player but because they figured they wouldn't be able to afford him.

Moss, 32, had just wrapped up a two-year contract worth $4.2 million with the Coyotes, and a similar value for a new deal just wasn't doable. But on Friday, more than a week into the NHL signing period, the Coyotes and Moss were able to find common ground with a one-year, one-way contract worth $800,000, according to a league source.

"I'm really excited to be back with the team," Moss said via text while on his honeymoon in Turks and Caicos. "I believe the team is headed in the right direction, and I just want to be a part of it. I'm very grateful that they wanted me back, and I'm looking forward to having a great season."

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General Manager Don Maloney had been in regular talks with Moss' agent, but as July 1 approached, the start of the free agency, Moss didn't seem to be in the team's plans. Their budget was staying about the same as last season's, making it difficult to offer a similar contract to Moss, and they wanted to create more opportunity for younger players.

"It wasn't we didn't like David or want him back by any means," Maloney said.

But Moss went unsigned and on Thursday, coach Dave Tippett reignited interest in Moss by mentioning him to Maloney in a conversation about the state of the current roster. This conversation coincided with reports that surfaced Thursday that Moss had agreed to a deal with a Swiss club. But the contract included an out clause that could be triggered should Moss sign with an NHL team within a week.

Maloney reached out to Moss's agent, and the sides struck a deal.

"It keeps him in the NHL and with a team he's a great fit with," Maloney said.

In his two previous seasons with the Coyotes, Moss had been a depth forward who can kill penalties. He was also a strong presence along the boards and was relied up in a matchup role. In 79 games last season, Moss had eight goals and 22 points, but the Coyotes aren't really counting on him to be an offensive juggernaut.

"Any offense we get from him is an added bonus," Maloney said. "But it's the little areas of his game – the penalty killing and advancing pucks. He is the winger you have out at the end of games when the games are tight."

The addition of Moss doesn't mean the Coyotes are pulling opportunity away from prospects such as Max Domi, Henrik Samuelsson, Tyler Gaudet and those in the American Hockey League. Two forwards spots are still set aside for young players.

"It's not like we're boxing anybody out," Maloney said. "But when I look at the board now and you start to line up our roster, Dave Moss is an NHL player. He's a reliable, steady player for us with good character, and we just think if we do have a couple younger players, we do need those stable people that are going to help us get through the rough spots."